Spreader



June 23, 1942. F: E. ARNDT 2,287,080

, SPREADER Original Filed Nov. 5, 1957 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 [/V VEN TOR FRANKLIN EARN DT,

F. E. ARNDT June 23, 1942.

SPREADER s Sheets-She et 2 Original Filed Nov. 5, 1957 F l l I l l ll [/YVENTOR FRANKLIN E. ARNDT,

June 23, 1942. ARNDT 2,287,080

SPREADER Original Filed Nov. 5, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 m as 32 9 LY H 34 4 w /s1 fM/E/YTOR:

FRANKUN E. ARNDT,

Patented June 23, 1942 UNITED ST SPREADER Franklin E. Arndt, Galion, Ohio, assignor to The Galion Iron Works & Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Ohio Original application November 5, 1937, Serial'No. 173;000, now Patent No. -2,243,939,dated June 3, 1941. Divided and this application July 22, 1939,,Serial No. 285,935

3 Claims.

My invention.relates to spreading apparatus adapted to be hitched to and towed behind a self-propelled dumping truck, and one of the objects of the invention is to improve and simplify a spreader of this type to reduce the costof construction to a minimum.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved and efficient-mechanism for yieldingly holding a rotary spreading device in frictional engagement with the ground engaging supporting wheel.

Other objects of .the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

This application is a division of my co-pending application, serial No. 173,000, filed Novemher 5, 1937, now Patent No. 2,243,939, granted June 3, 1941, for an improvement in Spreaders.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a spreader embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is.a rear end ..elevational view of the spreader shown in Fig. 1;

.Fig. 3 is a ,plan view .of.:the spreader shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the spreader operatively connected .to a self-propelled .dumping truck havinga tilting body adapted .to.;be connected to thespreader so that when the forward end of the tilting body is lowered .the

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the

spreader embodying my invention, comprises a supporting frame l having top angle iron members li, bottom plate members 12, and upright angle iron members [3, l3 and diagonal braces I3, 13', all of which are rigidlyconnected together, preferably by welding.

While the top of the supporting frame is shown square in outline in Fig. 3, the bottom plate members 12 are shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, spaced apart only a short distance, and consequently the uprights I3, I3 at the ends of the plates l2 are correspondingly spaced apart only a short distance .and the upper and lower ends of such uprights rigidly connected to the square top I I and rectangular bottom I2 of the frame A vertical reinforcing plate M, a horizontal spacing plate 15 and a reinforcing pipe Hi connect the spaced-apart vertical plates l2, as shown in Figs. 1, sand 7. Anadditional reinforcing pipeli also connects the spaced plates .12, as shown in Fig. 7. The reinforcementsl i, [5; [Band vI! are preferably welded at their ends to the .plates 12, I2. A cross-plate M is welded to the left-hand ends of the spaced plates I2,

.:as viewed in Fig. 7. The lower ends of the uprights l3, ,l3.may be welded to the cross-plate H.

The reinforcing pipe or tubular connection I! between the bottom plates or bars I2, l2 serves als to receive and support the axle I8 on the righte-hand. end .of which is journaled. the ground engaging wheel 19. That .end of the axle l8 remote from the wheel .19 is screw-threaded at througha nut 2| which is welded to thelefthand plate or bar l2, as viewed in Fig. 2. This platewith the nut 2| welded thereto is shown more ,clearlyinFig. 7. The axle .l 8 may be locked in adjusted position relative to the plates or bars l2 by means of a cotter pin ,22 fitting in notches of the nut 2| and extending through one of the series of transverse perforations 2,3 in the axle t8, .as shown in Fig. 2. When the cotter pin 22 is removed, the axle ifimay be rotated so that its screw-threaded portion may be threaded through the fixednutjl and thereby adjust the position of the ground-engaging wheel relative to the frame and relative to a spreder disc 24 for a purpose hereinafter more fully explained. The axle I8 may be rotated by applying a socket wrench to the squared end I8.

The disc 24 isdetachably mounted by means of the bolts .25, 25 on the hub 26 which is journaled by means of the thrust bearings 21, '21 on the upright bearing shaft 28 which is secured at its lower end, preferably by welding, to the auxiliary pivoted frame 29. r

The auxiliary frame 29, as shown in .Fig. 6, comprises spaced-apart parallel plates 30, 30 rigidly connected .by the spacers 3!, 32 and 33. Intermediate the spacers 3| and 32 the enlarged lower end of the .upright bearing shaft 28 is weldedto the spaced-apart plates or bars 30, 30, asshown at 34 in Fig. 6.

The left-hand end of the auxiliary frame 29 as viewed in Fig. 6 shows the bars 30, 39 spacedapart or diverging a distance suificient to embrace the outer sides of the vertical angle irons l3, l3. A pivot pin 35 is adapted to extend through openings 36, 36 in the arms 31, 31 of the auxiliary frame 29. The pivot pin 35 also extends through perforations in the vertical angle iron members |3, I3 a short distance above the plates l2, l2 as shown in Fig. 1. Cotter pins 38 at the ends of the pivot pin 35 retain the latter in fixed relation to the main and auxiliary frames, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

It should be particularly noted that the spreader disc 24 is carried by the auxiliary frame 29 and moves up and down bodily therewith. Mounted on the auxiliary frame and fixed to the bearing shaft 28 is a collar 39, and fixed to the bearing shaft 28 on top of the collar 39 is the lower roller bearing 40. A lubricant seal surrounding the collar 39 comprises a metal cup 4| secured to the inner lower end of the hub 26 and supporting a felt washer 42.

The bearing members 43, 44 fit against reverse shoulders on the inner side of the hub 26, as shown in Fig. 5. The upper bearing member 45 is slidable vertically on the bearing shaft. 28 so that by means of the nut 46 on the upper screw-threaded end 41 of the bearing shaft 26 the spaced-apart thrust bearings may be taken up and the nut 46 then locked in adjusted position by means of the cotter pin 48. a

By referring to Fig. it will be seen that the bearing 49 is seated on the collar 39 and the latter in turn is seated on the support or auxiliary frame 29. When the cotter pin 48 is removed the nut 46 may be tightened to force the washer, beneath the same, against the bearing member 45 to slide the latter down along the shaft 28 to take up wear of the rollers or bearings. Upon the cotter pin being replaced after making such adjustment the adjusting mechanism c'o-acts with the spaced thrust bearings and the hub to confine the distributor plate against movement axially of the shaft 28 altho the distributor plate is always free to rotate. Consequently the spring 69 (Fig. 1) may act through the auxiliary frame 29 to constantly pull the bottom of the distributor plate against the periphery of the ground engaging wheel. In other words, the assembly is such that the confining mechanism within the hub compels the frame 29 and the parts carried thereby to move up and down as a unit, thereby permitting the distributor plate to yield to the irregularities of the periphery of the ground engaging wheel IS.

The spreader disc structure is shown in Figs. 5 and 8 and comprises a plate 49 which is fiat or plane on its underside and has radial fins integral therewith on its upper side. The center of the plate 49 is dome-shaped at 59, as shown in Fig. 5, so as to provide ample space for the upper end of the bearing shaft 28 and the nut 46 thereon. By removing the bolts 25 the spreader disc may be detached from the hub 26 for the purpose of introducing lubricant in the chamber containing the thrust bearings shown in Fig. 5.

Projecting upwardly from the dome 50 are upwardly elongated fins 5|, 5|, radially disposed 90 degrees apart. Radiating from the lower ends of the fins 5| on the top of the plate 49 are fins 52, 52 of relatively shallow depth. The shallow radial fins 52 are extended by the radial fins 53, 53 of greater depth, to the outer circular edge of the plate 49, as shown in Fig. 8. Intermediate the radial fins 53, 53 are additional radial fins the spreader is connected.

54, 54 of approximately the same lengths as the radial fins 53, 53. All of the radial fins 53 and 54 extend above the plate 49 the same distance. The inner ends of the radial fins 54 are spaced from the dome 50 while the inner ends of the radial fins 53 are connected to the center of the dome 50 by means of the shallow fins 52 and the upper elongated fins 5|, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8.

The upwardly elongated fins 5| of the spreader disc 24 are adapted to extend upwardly through the open bottom of the hopper 55, the upper side of which is also open to receive the material dumped from the tilting body 56 of a self-propelled dumping truck 51, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The hopper 55 may be composed of fiat plates 58, 58 with their upper edges bent into position for securing by means of the bolts 59, 59 to the tops of the angle iron frame members II, as shown in Fig. 3. The hopper is therefore in the form of an inverted truncated pyramid with the edges of the open bottom located above the shallow radial fins 52, 52, as shown in Fig. 2. The outer ends of the radial fins 5| are spaced from the edges of the bottom opening of the hopper, and ample space is provided, as shown in Fig. 3, for free flow of the material from the hopper 55 to the top of the rotary spreader disc 24. By reason of the upward projection of the fins 5| into the lower portion of the hopper 55, a stirring action is afforded on the material at the lower portion of the hopper so that any tendency of discontinuance of flow of material from the hopper will be avoided. Furthermore, such stirring action will produce a more uniform fiow of the material so as tobe in accordance with the speed of travel of the towing vehicle to which By referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the fins 5| where they project upwardly into the discharge opening in the bottom of the hopper, take up a relatively small amount of space. In other words, the area of the discharge opening is decreased but little because the agitator is composed of radial fins. Moreover, while the large area of the discharge opening is maintained notwithstanding the presence of the agitator, the upstanding radial fins 5| have a radial throwing action which becomes effective as soon as the material leaves the discharge opening in the bottom of the hopper, in starting the spreading of the discharged material. It will thus be seen that the fins 5| act as spreading fins as soon as the material is discharged from the hopper and even before such discharged material reaches the top of the spreader disc.

As shown in Fig. 9, the ground engaging wheel i9 is journaled to the right-hand end of the axle 18, as shown in Fig. 2, in such a manner that when the axle I8 is adjusted relative to the plates or bars l2, the periphery of the rubber-tired wheel |9 will frictionally engage the fiat bottom of the spreader disc 24 at an adjusted distance Irom its center of rotation. It will thus be seen that when the axle I8 is adjusted axially relative to its support, the speed of rotation of the spreader disc 24 may be varied. Whenever the speed of rotation of the spreader disc 24 is varied, the speed of rotation of the stirring and throwing fins 5| is likewise adjusted. The nearer to the center of the spreader disc 24 the ground engaging driving wheel I9 is adjusted, the faster the disc will be rotated and the greater the area will be over which-the material is spread. The increase of rotation of the disc will also effect increased rotation of the stirring action by means of the fins and consequently the faster the material can flow from the hopper. The spreader disc may be made of metal, such as iron, or other material, and its lower flat side may have attached thereto a layer of friction material, but I prefer the rubber-tired ground engaging driving wheel [9 frictionally engaging the lower flat metal side of the rotary spreader disc 24.

In order to hold the lower fiat side of the rotary disc 24 yieldingly against the periphery of the rubber-tired ground engaging driving wheel l9, a compression spring 60 is mounted at that end of the auxiliary frame 29 remote from the pivot 35 so as to urge the auxiliary frame 29 down toward the reinforcing plate l5 which connects the plates l2. The spring 69 surrounds a bolt til the lower end of which extends through an opening 62 in the spacer l5 between the plates [2. Above the spacer l5 the bolt extends through an opening 63 in'the spacer 3| between the plates 30. The upper end of the bolt 6| extends through a washer 64 on top of which is a nut 65, by means of which the tension in the spring may be adjusted. Inasmuch as the spring 60 urges the right-hand end of the auxiliary frame 29, as viewed in Fig. 1, in a downward direction, the bearing shaft 28 and nut 46 shown in'Fig. 5, transmit this downward force to the spreader disc so as to hold the latter yieldingly against the periphery of the ground engaging driving wheel l9. Any irregular periphery of the wheel I9, such as that caused by road material clinging thereto, will not interfere with maintenance of frictional engagement between the periphery of the wheel and the bottom of the spreader disc.

There is of course inherent in the construction disclosed, a floating action of the disc 24 on the periphery of the wheel I9 by reason of the weight of the disc and the parts moving up and down bodily therewith. But I prefer not to omitrthe spring 68 because the inclusion of the spring is more effective in keeping the bottom of the disc 24 in frictional driving engagement with the periphery of the wheel I9 and the spring mounting acts to limit the upward bouncing of the disc and therefore keeps the upper ends of the fins 5| centralized in the hopper discharge opening.

The hitching mechanism for connecting the spreader to a self-propelled dump ng truck is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and comprises a drawbar structure composed of spaced-apart vertical plates 66, 66 rigidly connected to the forward upper edge of the main frame, with the forward ends of the plates 66 rigidly connected together by means of the pipe 61. The supporting plate 68 may be connected to the rear end of the frame 69 by means of the lag screws 1.0 extending through the perforations H in the plate 68. Extending rearwardly from the plate 68 are two pairs of vertically spaced horizontal bracket plates I2, 12 connected by vertical spacer plates 13, 13 which serve to act as abutments for the front side of the pipe 6'! when the latter is located between the bracket plates 12, 72, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The drawbar plates 66, 66 are preferably located outside of the bracket plates 12, as shown in Fig. 3. Coupling pins 14 are adapted to be inserted through the vertically aligned openings 15, 15 in the spaced-apart bracket plates 12, 12. The coupling pins may be connected by means of chains 16 to the truck frame plate 68.

At the rear of the top edge of the spreader and at the corners thereof are located spaced-apart sockets 1.1, 1! for receiving the screw eyes l8, 18 which project downwardly a sufficient distance for receiving the compression springs l9, 19 between the nuts 80, and the bottom of the rear top frame member II, as shown in Fig. 2. By means of the nuts 80 the tension of the springs 19 may be adjusted and the nuts then looked in adjusted positions to the screw eyes 18.

Chains 8!, 8| are connected to the screw eyes 78, 78 and provided at their ends with hooks 82 which are adapted to be connected to the chains 83 mounted on the rear end of the truck body 56, as shown in Fig. 4. The chains 83 are spaced apart] a distance equal to the spacing of the sockets TI, 71. It can readily be seen by ref-erring to Fig. 4 that when the forward end of the truck body 58 tilts downwardly on its pivot 84, the chains BI, 83 will effect lifting of the driving wheel Hi from the ground. The springs 79 will act as shock absorbers both when the spreader is lifted from the roadway and during transportation of the spreader while up off the roadway.

During operation the chains 8| and B3 are disconnected. The truck body 56 is tilted to such an angle as to regulate the flow of material therefrom into the hopper 55, and to facilitate the flow of material from the truck body 56 an attendant may use a raking tool while he stands on the platform 85 which is secured by means of the brackets 86, 86 to one side and a portion of the rear of the main frame. It is preferred to locate the platform 85 at that side of the main frame, toward which the wheel I9 is offset, as shown in Fig. 3. An inverted U-shaped rod 81 is secured at its ends to the rear top edge of the main frame, and the upper horizontal portion of such rod may be used as a rail to be grasped by such attendant with one hand while he operates the rake with the other hand.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and I therefore wish not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A material distributor assembly comprising a support, an upstanding shaft secured to said support, a rotary distributor, a hub deta-chably secured to the central portion of the underside of said distributor, spaced-apart thrust bearings within said hub for journaling the latter to said shaft, the underside of said rotary distributor being adapted to be in frictional driving engagement with the periphery of a ground engaging wheel, and means accessible upon detaching said distributor from said hub for adjusting said thrust bearings to confine said hub against movement axially of the shaft during up and down movements of the distributor together with said shaft and said support while said distributor is being driven by said ground engaging wheel.

2. A material spreader assembly comprising a frame, a bearing shaft fixed to said frame, a rotary distributor adapted to have its underside in frictional driving engagement with the periphery of a ground engaging wheel, a hub secured to said distributor, reverse annular shoulders spaced apart in said hub, roller bearings seated against such shoulders, spaced roller bearings on said shaft, rollers between the bearings on the seats and the bearingson the shaft, a support for one of the bearings on said shaft, and means engaging the other bearing on said shaft for taking up wear in the bearings and for confining said hub against movement axially of said shaft while said distributor and hub are free to rotate relatively to said frame and the whole assembly is free to move up and down bodily while the distributor is being driven by said ground engaging wheel.

3. A material spreader assembly comprising a rotary distributor, a hub secured thereto, a support, a bearing shaft projecting upwardly from said support, an upwardly facing annular shoulder at the upper inner end portion of said hub, a roller thrust bearing associated with said shoulder, means at the upper end of said bearin shaft for holding said roller bearing in association with said annular shoulder, and means adapted-to mountsaid support for up and down movement relatively to a frame supported by a ground engaging wheel with the periphery of the latter in frictional driving engagement with the underside of said rotary distributor, the construction and arrangement being such that when the support descends relatively to said frame the said 'sh'a'ft exerts a pull through said roller thrust bearing against said annular shoulder to press the bottom of said distributor against the periphery of said ground engaging wheel and that when foreign material on such periphery lifts said distributor the latter exerts an upward pull on said shaft through saidannular shoulder and the said roller thrust bearing associated therewith.

FRANKLIN E. ARNDT. 

